The Spanish PM convoked the Board of Ministers upon returning from holiday and announced five measures in relation to the pandemic.

Firstly, the Government has put at the disposition of regional governments the Spanish Armed Forces for tracking possible contagion amongst the people who have come into contact with people with positive readings for PCRs. We’re talking about 2,000 military personnel from the Spanish Medical Corps. More servicemen can be made available if necessary.

He also reminded regional government heads that there is a Covid Fund of 16,000m euros to help autonomous regions combat the virus.

Secondly, and very importantly, autonomous government can request an Estado de Alarma from the Central Government to be applied in all of their territory or parts of it. It should be remembered that only the Central Government has the authority to impose one.

However, PM Sánchez also pointed out that when he says Estado de Alarma, it does not necessarily include the authority to confine people to their homes. He said that there are different kinds of E.o.A.s, which are very useful ‘tools.’ He reminded autonomous PMs that when the nationwide E.o.A. concluded, the responsibility fell to the autonomous regions to manage the situation, as was their demand.

Next, he said that the school year should begin as normal. In the case of Andalucía, junior schools start on the 10th of September and senior schools on the 15th. Classes will be presential; i.e. kids will have to go to school for their classes and cannot do them from home using Internet.

He then went on to ask for the complete collaboration from other political parties as figures reflect that the total number of people that have been infected since the pandemic began is 405,406 people. He managed to express the idea that the situation was worrying, whilst at the same “transmitting a message of serenity to citizens” adding that “we are far from how it was back in March.”

Lastly, he announced a round of meetings with the leaders of the main political parties in Spain, to discuss an “essential unity” needed to confront the pandemic as well as to approve the National Budget and long-overdue appointments to judicial bodies.

(News: Spain)